Rally for Friction Dynamics

Submitted by AWL on 28 June, 2002 - 10:58

A thousand strong rally in support of Friction Dynamics workers was held on 8 June in Caernarfon. 87 workers at the motor parts factory have been locked out for over a year.
The dispute started when US boss Craig Smith tried to cut time-off and enforce a pay cut of 15 per cent. The lock-out came about when Smith enforced the 1999 Employment Act which allows employers to dismiss workers after an eight week dispute in which the employer has "followed an appropriate procedure to resolve the dispute."

The workers have maintained a picket outside the factory, lobbied Parliament, the Welsh Labour conference, the Welsh TUC and addressed many TGWU branches in England.

Bill Morris attended the rally and talked a good fight. This could be among Morris's last actions, as he is soon to retire.

Gerald Parry, the strikers' leader, gave a short but telling speech where he said that even if the strikers win their coming Industrial Tribunal, there was no chance of them regaining their jobs.